89-91 Royal Avenue, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT1 1FE

89–91 Royal Avenue, Belfast

This four-storey corner commercial building was designed by Belfast architect James Scott and constructed in 1926 for Sinclair & Co., a drapers firm that had occupied an earlier late-Victorian premises on the same site from around 1900. It is a rare example in Belfast of both the use of faience cladding and the early Art Deco style, and it retains much of its historic fabric and detailing. The building sits on the east side of Royal Avenue and extends to form part of the south side of North Street. A five-storey extension was added to the north in 1935–36 (forming the corner of Royal Avenue and North Street), and together the two buildings represent a notable phase in the expansion of Belfast's commercial centre and the local growth of department stores in the early 20th century.

Architectural Character

The building is clad throughout in yellow faience and sits behind a flat roof concealed by a parapet. Plain metal rails run along the roof edge and rainwater goods are hidden behind the structure. The central section of the parapet rises above the side bays in stepped gables decorated with cross-panelled parapet panels, pilasters, foliate wreaths, and torch ornaments. The projecting cornice features moulded lion heads, and the frieze is fluted over the side bays.

The second and third floors display rusticated faience to the side bays, with giant-order pilasters carrying geometric volutes and foliate tassel capitals, and panels decorated with geometric swags and foliate wreaths. A fluted string course runs below the second-floor cills. The tall side bay windows are accentuated by moulded architraves with floral bosses and moulded head keystones. The central windows to the second and third floors are finished with flat faience arches, while the first-floor window openings have moulded architraves with block keystones. All windows are replacement metal casements.

The entrance retains its original metal canopy and houses a pair of double doors with five-panel coffering. The ground floor has been refaced in replacement polished red granite with replacement shop windows.

Elevations and Setting

The west elevation (facing Royal Avenue) has three central windows flanked by narrower windows to each side, rising full height between the second and third floors. The entrance door is positioned in the south bay. The north elevation is entirely abutted by the 1935–36 extension. The south elevation is entirely abutted by the adjoining listed building to the south. The north elevation mirrors the arrangement of the west elevation.

The building stands directly on the east pavement of Royal Avenue — the city's principal commercial street — and forms part of a continuous block extending to North Street. It is abutted to the south by Nos 81–87 Royal Avenue and to the north by Sinclair House, the 1935–36 extension.

Historical Notes

Sinclair & Co. demolished their earlier late-Victorian building on this site around 1925 and commissioned James Scott to design the replacement. Scott (c.1878–1949/50) was a Belfast-based architect who practised in the city from 1903. It is believed he served in the First World War, as no work is recorded from him between 1916 and 1923. On returning to practice he focused chiefly on commercial and suburban domestic work in Belfast; the Dictionary of Irish Architects identifies Sinclair's department store as his most conspicuous landmark. The building was constructed by J. & R. Thompson.

On completion, the four-storey building — which presented a similar design to both its Royal Avenue and North Street façades — was valued at £1,056, compared with just £235 for the late-Victorian premises it replaced. The site was leased from a consortium of prominent Belfast landlords including Matilda McClean, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the representatives of Joseph J. Biggar's estate. By the time of the First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland in 1935, the building's value had risen to £2,000. Following the addition of the five-storey Art Deco extension and the reopening of the store in 1936, the combined premises were jointly revalued at £6,200 in 1956; the owners contested this figure and by the close of the revaluation period in 1972 it had been reduced to £4,640.

Patton described the original 1926 block as a "custard coloured faience building with mostly horizontal fenestration. Giant order pilasters at second and third floor with Greek key 'Ionic' capitals with central laurel drops; outer bays set slightly forward with tall windows at upper floors with female head keystones and corner rosettes, and raised features on parapet decorated with wreath flanked by torches; St Andrew's crosses on parapet, above cornice ornamented with small lions."

During the Troubles, Royal Avenue was pedestrianised and became a frequent target for bomb and vandalism attacks. On 12th July 1971 the department store was damaged in a bomb attack; although the damage was relatively minor, the store closed on 1st September 1972 as a result of general commercial decline and the building was subsequently sold to a Japanese firm for £60,000. The building was listed in 1989. At the time of the most recent survey, the ground-floor units of both the 1926 and 1935–36 blocks were lying vacant, while the upper floors had been converted to modern office space and were in use as the offices of McConnell Surveyors.